Resources: A range of toys from the past, pencils and colouring pencils.
Teacher Tool: DE has provided images of toys from the past and present to sort, if real-life toys are unavailable.
Support Handout (1): The handout provides space for the children to write their questions about past toys. A word bank is included to support writing.
Core Handout (2): The handout provides space for the children to write their questions about past toys.
Challenge Handout (4): This handout provides space for the children to design a toy from the past and then explain its features.
Using the starter slide, recap what ‘past’ and ‘present’ mean. Ask the children to share their ideas with their partners.
Using the presentation, tell the children that in this lesson they are going to be toy detectives. Explain that they’ll be looking closely at some old toys to try and work out what they are, what they did, and who might have played with them.
Model asking questions like a detective, using the slides to support.
Explore several old toys as a class and discuss the clues that help us know they are from the past (e.g. wooden, hand-made, no plastic, no lights or sounds). Then, compare them with modern toys. (If you are unable to source old toys, DE have provided images in the handout.)
Encourage the children to use words like past, present, old, and new when talking about the toys. Ask them to think about how toys have changed and why they might be different today.
Explain to the children that when we want to find out more information, we can ask questions to help us find out the answers. Ask the children to write one (or two) questions that they would like to ask their parents, grandparents or carers about the toys they used to play with. Ask the children to share the questions as a class. Using the children's ideas, teachers should create a set of interview questions to send home.
Note: The responses to these questions are needed in Lesson 4.
Challenge Task: Ask the children to draw a picture of a toy their parent, grandparent or carer might have played with. Can they write a sentence or two to explain it?
Play a ‘thumbs-up, thumbs-down’ game. Teachers should show images of a toy and ask the children to put their thumbs up if the toy is from the present or thumbs down if the toy is from the past. Alternatively, teachers can describe a feature of a toy and ask the children to work out if it is a toy from the past or present (e.g. this toy is made out of plastic and uses batteries).
Toys from the past were often made from simple, natural materials like wood, metal, or fabric and were usually powered by a child’s imagination or hand movements. They did not have screens, batteries, or electronic sounds like many toys today. Modern toys are often made from plastic, can light up or make noise, and may connect to the internet or use digital technology. While past toys encouraged creative play in different ways, today’s toys offer new features and experiences. Both kinds of toys are fun, but they show how materials and technology have changed over time.
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